Coming into the season, improving the run game has been a priority for the Washington Commanders. Washington has a clear one-two punch in running backs Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler, although the third spot on the depth chart is up for grabs.
Among the notable competition are Jeremy McNichols and Chris Rodriguez Jr., who are returning to the room, as well as undrafted free agent Kazmeir Allen, who was picked up as an undrafted free agent in 2023 and has been a member of the Commanders' practice squad ever since.
The dark horse in the race, however, is Jacory "Bill" Croskey-Merritt. The seventh-round rookie out of Arizona has been a fan favorite throughout training camp thanks to his speed and ability to break tackles. He's also made a strong impression on his coaches.
"I like the group we have; there's no doubt Bill's had some good flashes for a young guy," Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury said ahead of the Commanders' preseason bout in New England. "We'll see as we get into these competitive periods with other teams and preseason games."
Croskey-Merritt's first true competitive test came last Friday night in his preseason debut against the New England Patriots. While there weren't many bright spots in the Commanders' 48-18 loss to the Patriots, Croskey-Merritt was one of them, although the stat sheet doesn't show it. On paper, the rookie notched seven carries for 24 yards, as well as one reception for an additional eight yards.
Not on the official score card, however, is Croskey-Merritt's best play of the night: a 16-yard reception in which he evaded a defender in an open field for what would have been a first down in the second quarter. The play was called back for holding, although it demonstrated Croskey-Merritt's speed and ability to shed would-be tacklers.
Despite his night being cut short due to an issue with his shoulder, Croskey-Merritt's performance drew nods from head coach Dan Quinn, who followed up his impressive camp with a strong rookie preseason debut.
"I like the skills that we're seeing from Bill," Quinn said in his postgame press conference. "I'm encouraged by what I've seen so far. I know he was amped and ready to go for tonight."
Croskey-Merritt isn't satisfied with his play. He knows what he is capable of, and feels that his showing against the Patriots was filled with too many rookie mistakes.
"I'm blessed to be here but it's not the kind of game I wanted," Croskey-Merritt said in the locker room after the loss. "I can just work on it moving forward. It's definitely fixable. I think I was moving a little too fast but, I mean, it's going to take time. It's my first game, and I think things will slow down for me and it will be good.
"Anytime we're on the field we want to win and we want to compete. Even though it's preseason, it's just a bad feeling just losing games. We've just got to come back out tomorrow and be ready to work."
Friday night's preseason game at Gillette Stadium was only Croskey-Merritt's third game in a little over a year. Eligibility issues sidelined Croskey-Merrit for all but one game in 2024 with the Wildcats, part of the reason he slipped in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Croskey-Merritt didn't let his lack of game action affect his ability to make an impact at a higher level. Instead of taking the year off from football, he helped the team in a different capacity.
"He got ruled ineligible at Arizona and stayed and played scout team the whole year, which is like nobody would do that, so that tells you right there the type of passion he has for, and it shows up," Kingsbury said. "That was an exciting kind of pick for us and what he's shown so far."
The competition to make the 53-man roster isn't something that intimidates Croskey-Merritt. Instead, he believes the contest creates a sense of camaraderie among the group.
"We're all competing for a job, and it also pushes us to be a better person on and off the field so...we just love coming out here and competing everyday for that job," Croskey-Merritt said of the running back room."
The competition will further heat up Tuesday as the Commanders are holding its first intrasquad scrimmage -- dubbed the Burgundy & Gold game -- which will consist of situational drills and different matchups. Although the scrimmage is meant to be fun, it's also another chance for Croskey-Merritt to separate himself from the pack as the coaching staff works toward a final roster decision.
Scrimmage or not, the most important thing for Croskey-Merritt is taking each and every practice opportunity to showcase how he can elevate the Commanders' run game.
"It definitely feels good to be back on the field, because we've got another opportunity come next Monday, so I just have to learn from my mistakes that happened last game," Croskey-Merritt said.
The Commanders' next two preseason games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens are circled on Croskey-Merritt's calendar as moments in which he can display his continued improvement. He knows that each preseason game and practice rep will bring Croskey-Merritt one step closer to solidifying his role as the third running back on Washington's roster.
